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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Loong Siew, post: 8137054, member: 75799&quot;]<b>Warring States. Chu (楚) State. Ying Yuan 郢爰 Gold Block money</b>. 5th-4th century BC. Huaxia graded 80. 22.9g. Very rare.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1418076[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1418077[/ATTACH]</p><p>The earliest gold currency used in China, they were issued by the Chu State whose territory covered the areas of Hubei and Hunan in China. It was one of the most powerful states during the Warring States period but internal corruption led to its defeat to the powerful Qin State by the First Emperor of China, Qin Shihuangdi in 223BC.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Chu state was the only time in ancient China where gold was officially identified to use as actual circulating currencies whilst others were using bronze or copper as the primary medium of exchange. In fact, gold was not officially used as any form of official currency except as ingots for large value transactions throughout its over 2 millenia history.</p><p><br /></p><p>Chu state (pink) during the warring states period (cir 350 BCE). Source: wikipedia.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1418078[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>First excavated in 1974, apart from individually cut pieces, they were also found in complete blocks with the stamps all over it. Cut from a large gold block with multiple stamps on it, this is an attractive, thick and heavy specimen at 22.9g, this specimen has a clear and distinct full inscription 郢爰 in archaic script. For transactional purposes, pieces are cut based on weight rather according to the contours of the stamps often resulting in incomplete inscriptions.</p><p><br /></p><p>Source: Nanjing Museum</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1418099[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The Chu state ceased to be after the unification of China under the first emperor Qin Shihuangdi.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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